FCC Extends Deadline to November 18, 2025 for Filings Due During Government Shutdown

This morning (November 13, 2025), the Federal Communications Commission issued a Public Notice providing guidance regarding its resumption of operations after the federal government shutdown, and extended the deadline for filings that would have been due during the shutdown to at least Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

The FCC had previously stated that filings would be due on the business day following the resumption of normal operations.

As of the time of this client alert, many of the FCC’s databases, such as the Licensing and Management System (LMS), Universal Licensing System (ULS), International Bureau Filing System (IBFS), and Online Public Inspection File (OPIF), are still not functioning.

The FCC will issue further guidance before November 18 that will provide additional flexibility for certain systems and programs, including the Universal Licensing System (ULS). The extension does not apply to filings in the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS) and Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) or to filings related to spectrum auction activities authorized by section 309(j).

Until further guidance is issued, the FCC is asking parties to limit filings to situations where immediate authority is needed and to hold off on requesting further deadline extensions.

If you have questions about the FCC’s resumption of operations or need assistance submitting a filing, contact an attorney in our Broadband, Spectrum, and Communications Infrastructure; Media; Satellite; or Utilities practice groups.